How Do I Find Out the Number of the Last Received Call?

By David Sarokin

It seems to happen with uncanny frequency: when you can't pick up the phone, it rings. Maybe you're fumbling with your keys at the front door, negotiating a treacherous entrance ramp on the highway or relaxing in the tub. Whatever the situation, if you want to know the number of the person who just called, there are ways to find out.

Step 1

Press the asterisk key followed by the 6 key and 9 key (*69) on your landline phone. This is a Bell Star code that will tell you the last number that dialed into your phone, regardless of whether the call was answered or not. Be sure to try *69 soon after the call you want to identify. If another call comes in, you'll no longer be able to retrieve information on the earlier call.

Step 2

Check your incoming call records on your cell phone. Mobile phones keep a record in their memory of all calls made or received by the phone. Access your phone's menu to find an entry for "Call Records" or a similar-sounding heading.

Step 3

Research the phone number. Once you have the number in hand, if you don't recognize who it was who called, you can search for the listing on the Internet. Try a reverse phone-number search at an online white pages like Superpages.com or Whitepages.com. You can also enter the phone number into a regular Internet search; the search results will display pages that contain the number and may even include a phonebook-style listing at the top of the results page.